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From the hallowed scientific journal that is People Magazine (January, 2010).

3 REASONS TO GET A PET

1. It could lower your blood pressure. Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo found that pet ownership did a better job of lowering blood pressure under mental stress than certain types of blood-pressure medications.

2. You’ll save on doctor’s bills. Studies at UCLA found that pet ownership corresponds to overall better health and fewer medical visits–as many as 21 percent fewer trips to the doc.

3. Life will feel more meaningful. For patients hospitalized with serious illnesses at City Hospital in New York, a study found that having a pet to care for gave them not only reason to recover but also improved survival rates.